and i now want to yield to the gentle lady from maryland who so ably led us in the pledge of allegiance and who has been here with all of us, to express the feelings that we also strongly hold, that the american people are depending on us. >> thank you. this morning, when i came in to lead the pledge i thought it was a work day, and it is sad that here we are on january 3, when millions of americans actually went back to work after their holidays, millions of americans, except republicans in congress, who thought it was ok to take virtually the month off while we wait to extend unemployment compensation for millions of those who are unemployed for no reason or been fault of their own, while we wait to extend and give certainty to 160 million americans across this country who want those middle-class tax cut so that they can take care of themselves and their families and put that into the economy. we came here to work. and i am just rank-and-file. i thought it was a work day because that is what people do after the new year begins. but that is not what republicans in congress have done. i